Double Bass "flubby" sounding E and A

[Ozmoid]

I have a set of Corelli 370 (medium) and the E and A are just... "flubby". The E is almost non-musical. The A seems to want to cling to my finger, making transitioning to the D difficult.

Is this just a string issue, or could there be something wrong in the set-up? The scale length is 42". Bass is a late 50's Epiphone, massively abused in the school system and recently repaired to playability. Strings have been on a week tomorrow.

I'm new to double bass, but I come from a land of higher-tension strings. I realize the longer scale is going to make the strings (in general) softer feeling than what I'm used to. I also acknowledge that as a beginner my technique is terrible at the moment, but I don't see any way to get the E playable simply with technique. (<- if I'm wrong there, tell me!)

Any advice welcome, including other string suggestions. I purchased the Corelli as a compromise between pizz and arco, as I would like to develop both styles.

 

[Francois Blais]

The M gauge is indeed quite thin.
How low is the action on your fingerboard? (measured between the string and FB, at the end of the FB)
You should have around 8 or 9 mm on the E string to get decent clearance.

Anyway, you may want to look at the TX gauge, which is thicker and tenser.

 

[Ozmoid]

The action is a little higher than that, I think I've got 11mm on the E.

 

[james condino]

Ozmo:

Where are you in western North Carolina?

You're welcome to bring it by the next time you pass through Asheville and I'll take a peek at it for you; usually lots of demo strings around here that you can swap around and try a few new sounds without breaking the bank on "the string game".

'Love those old Epis...even more so when they have had the crap beat out of them from years of use. I had a squeeky clean one here a couple of weeks ago.

j.

 

[Ozmoid]

Just "down the hill" from you in Marion. I'd love to come by and try some strings, I get to Asheville about once a month or so.

You have a PM.